Bridges are incredible feats of engineering and ingenuity, rising high above deep gorges, over rivers and large bodies of water. I am fascinated by the ingenuity required to design such lofty and expansive works that are both practical and majestic; a combination of beauty and strength.
I like to use the analogy of bridges because we are constructing them every day. They make connections between couples and families. They bridge the gap between our past and future and expand our possibilities as we move from one venture to another.
Over the last couple of months here on my blog, we’ve been thinking about the stories we create to define what we are going through. We learned that we can change the narrative to work for us instead of against us. Setbacks do happen. But we can turn them into opportunities.
We have the opportunity to learn many things when going through tough times. They teach us about ourselves, what worked for good in the past and what kept us stuck going nowhere.
Our past reveals many things, some of which we want to leave behind, such as old resentments and old beliefs that say we can’t succeed. We want to take with us the knowledge that we have the strength, resilience and determination to succeed.
As we build that positive bridge from our past to our future, we want to take with us the valuable lessons learned that hold a promising new beginning.
Here are 12 positive affirmations to take with you as you build new bridges
- Re-working the stories of my past can heal old wounds, release emotional conflict and reframe my future going forward. Thinking constantly about times I failed eliminates the positive and magnifies the negative.
- Reflecting on my past heals old wounds, enables us to let go of resentments and build better bridges in the future.
- I can believe in myself – my ability to survive and build something positive.
- I believe I can if I put my mind to it. I can change my thinking.
- There is an inner strength in all of us that is waiting to be tapped into. I am capable of much more than I think. I just have to allow myself to believe it.
- I am not a victim of my past. Bad things happened, but it doesn’t define who I am unless I allow it.
- I am capable of meeting whatever challenges the future has for me. I have overcome many obstacles in the past and can do it in the future. Overcoming obstacles requires resiliency and determination. I have survived and thrived in spite of setbacks. I have more grit than I give myself credit for.
- I can let go of resentments because by hanging onto them I am hurting myself. Forgiveness does not mean I minimize the hurt I feel. It is making peace with a bitter part of my past. I can move on without its heavy load.
- Forgiveness doesn’t mean automatic reconciliation. Reconciliation means I re-establish a relationship with the person who hurt me. Forgiveness means I make peace with a bitter part of my past and no longer blame my experiences on the offender. It is a personal decision to refuse to reply the hurt over and over again.
- I have triumphed over hurtful things. Understanding that I don’t have to continue to carry that heavy load of resentments with me wherever I go is the greatest gift I can give myself.
- In extending grace and understanding, I can build better bridges in the future within my relationships, where I can articulate my concerns but also listen and respect that of others. Developing our communication skills is a great bridge builder.
- Acceptance of who I am develops self-confidence. With acceptance I can set appropriate boundaries for myself and respect the boundaries of others. I choose to accept both the strengths and weaknesses I have and feel okay. I can love myself unconditionally.
Expand the list above and make it your own. You are the designer and builder of the bridges in your life.
Marlene Anderson
If you enjoyed this blog post, share with your friends.
Sign up today to receive the entire series: http://eepurl.com/baaiQ1
To Receive a Free Consultation for putting together a Personal Plan of Action for yourself, fill out the contact form beside this blog or send me an e-mail.
I am also available for speaking engagements, retreats or teaching workshops for your church, clubs or women’s groups on a variety of topics that affect our lives.